Grounding sheath connector



y 1969 L. M. CURTISS ET AL 3,446,910

GROUNDING SHEATH CONNECTOR Sheet Filed March 22, 1967 INVENTORS ZAWRE/VCE M C'l/RT/SS EDWARD J C'JSTEZLAIY/ IY/Ll-IAM 6. F595! May 27, 1969 L. M. cuRnSs ETAL 13,

' GIROUNDING SHEATH CONNECTOR Filed March 22. 1967 v Sheet ,2 of 2 INVENTORS LJIVRM M Cl/RT/SS WILLIAM (G. FRI) United States Patent 3,446,910 GROUNDIN G SHEATH CONNECTOR Lawrence M. 'Curtiss, Mountainside, Edward J. Castellani,

South Plainfield, and William G. Frey, Union, N.J.,

assignors to Thomas & Betts Corporation, Elizabeth,

N .J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 625,226 Int. Cl. H02g /02, 15/08 US. Cl. 174-75 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE or orbital movement with respect to the outer sleeve. The

shield of the coaxial conductor is intruded between the sleeves and one or more ground wires is then placed between the shield and outer sleeve. The outer sleeve is then crimped to secure the shield and ground wire together.

The invention relates to devices for grounding electrical conductors and more particularly to a unitary grounding sheath connector whereby the high frequency shielding on coaxial conductors and the like may be readily and positively connected to ground without adversely affecting the metallic shielding or the electrical characteristics of an insulated wire conductor or cable so shielded.

More specifically, the invention relates to a non-insulated or bare tubular connector for shielded coaxial cables and the method of: producing the same, wherein a pair of tubular metallic 'mfembers or sleeves are telescoped one within the other in captive radially spaced, concentric relation for receiving therebetween an exposed end portion of the cable shield and bare end portion of an insulated ground wire between the intruded metallic shield and outer sleeve and subsequently clamped or secured between said tubular members or sleeves by crimping the outer sleeve thereon, the inner sleeve receiving the exposed portion of the cable therethrough while serving as a mandrel for crimping the intruded end portion of its metallic shielding thereon as exemplified in the Ball patent, Ser. No. 3,315,024, issued Apr. 18, 1967 and assigned to the same assignee as in this application.

The present invention provides an improved grounding sheath connector of the character described wherein the inner one of a pair of telescoped metallic sleeves, is arranged in spaced, captive relation within the outer sleeve with one end of the inner sleeve free for limited endwise movement, tilting movement or orbital movement within the outer sleeve relative to the axial center thereof.

Similar non-insulated grounding shield connectors as known heretofore possessed the disadvantage that the captive coupling between the telescoped tubular sleeves was suchthat it was difiicult to intrude a free end portion of the high frequency shield of a coaxial cable between the ends of a double walled tubular member, as in Logan Patent 2,954,420, assigned to the same assignee as in this application, because of the close tolerance, with the result that the intruded shield portion often piled-up between the respective sleeves and thus impeded the subsequent intrusionof a bare end portion of an insulated grounding conductor in approved manner therebetween.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved noninsulated grounding sheath connector for coaxial conductors which obviates the aforesaid disadvantage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a noninsulated ground sheath connector of the character described which presents a minimum overall diameter whereby a large number of such connectors, when mounted on a like number of bunched conductors, occupy a minimum of space collectively.

Another object of the invention is to provide a noninsulated ground sheath connector of the character described which is more easily and quickly applied to a shielded conductor including the insertion of a ground Wire therebetween.

A further object of the invention is to provide a noninsulated ground sheath connector of the character described wherein a loose, captive coupling between a pair of telescopically arranged sleeves having a uniform annular passage therebetween provide a maximum of orbital movement therebetween relative to their axial center.

Another object of the invention is to provide a noninsulated ground sheath connector of the character described wherein a pair telescoped, radially spaced metallic sleeves freely joined in captive relation are adapted to have limited relative movement axially as well as in an orbital path relative to the axial center of the connector whereby the space between said sleeves may be increased on either side of axial center for the free insertion of a bare end portion of an insulated conductor therebetween after a free end portion of a braided conductor shield has been intruded therebetween in telescopic relation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the novel features of which are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, the invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, being best understood from the following description of a specific embodiment thereof when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating one form of the noninsulated ground sheath connector as constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view in elevation of the ground sheath connector as seen in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the outer element of the connector showing the inner element thereof in elevation;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the connector opposite to that shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the ground sheath connector of FIGURE 1, illustrating the manner in which the inner sleeve is free for relative endwise as well as orbital movement while retained in free captive relation within the outer sleeve;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the noninsulated ground sheath connector as constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 7 is an end view in elevation of the modified connector as seen in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same;

FIGURE 9 is an end view in elevation of the modified connector opposite to that shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a side view in elevation of the ground sheath connector shown in FIGURE 6, illustrating the manner in which the inner sleeve is free for relative endwise as well as orbital movement while retained in free captive relation within the outer sleeve;

FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate an end view in elevation and a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view respectively of a further modification of the ground sheath connector shown in FIGURES 1 and 6.

Referring to the drawings and to FIGURES 1 through 5, the noninsulated ground sheath connector generally indicated at 15, comprises a pair of complementary metal sleeves 16 and 17, formed of copper, for example, the inner sleeve 16 having a greater degree of hardness than the outer sleeve 17, said sleeves also dilfering in diameter and length and disposed in radially spaced, telescopic relation. In accordance with the invention, one end portion of the inner sleeve 16 is flanged normal thereto, as indicated at 18, with the periphery of the flange interrupted at diametrically opposite points by arcuate cutouts 19 of suitable size to provide clearance as hereinafter described.

Further in accordance with the invention, the corresponding end portion of the outer sleeve 17, is enlarged or expanded in diameter, as at 20, to accommodate the flanged end 18 of the inner sleeve 16 therein in free clearance relation and retained in captive relation by the subsequent annular, partial closure of the enlarged open end 21 of the outer sleeve 17 into a substantially bulbous configuration whereby the inner sleeve 16 is adapted to have limited relative endwise as well as orbital movement within the outer sleeve 17.

In a modified form of the invention as illustrated in FIGURES 6 through 10, the outer sleeve 22 is provided at one end thereof with a pair of angularly spaced T- head extensions 23 in diametrically opposite relation comprising curved projections of a portion of its peripheral surface, in axial parallelism, and the flanged end 24 of the inner sleeve 25, in addition to the arcuate cutouts 26 in the periphery of its flanged end -(the diameter of which is equal to the outer diameter of the outer sleeve 22) is also provided in its periphery with a pair of rectangular slots or recesses 27 in diametrically opposite relation and angularly spaced normal to the arcuate cut-outs 26 for receiving the T-head projections 23 therein. Thus, the inner sleeve 25, by virtue of the diameter of its flanged end 24, being equal to the outer diameter of the outer sleeve 22, is snap fitted under the hooked ends of the T-head projections 23, whereby the inner sleeve 25 is retained in captive relation within the outer sleeve 22 and adapted for limited end-wise and orbital movement relative to the outer sleeve 22 without disengagement of the flanged end 24 from, under the hooked ends of the T-head extensions 23, as best shown in FIGURE 10.

In a further modified form of the invention as illustrated in FIGURES 11 and 12, the outer sleeve 28 is provided at one end thereof with a pair of plain rectangular projections 29 in diametrically opposite relation and constituting integral extensions of its peripheral surface in axial parallelism. In complementary relation thereto, the inner sleeve 30 in addition to being provided with the arcuate cutouts 32 in its flange periphery, is also provided therein with a pair of rectangular slots or recesses 33 which are slightly larger than the aforesaid rectangular projections 29 and arranged in diametrically opposite relation normal to the arcuate cutouts 32, for receiving the rectangular projections 29 therein and so retained by the said projections 29 when bent substantially normal to the axial center of the sleeve 28 whereby the inner sleeve 30 is retained in captive relation within the outer sleeve 28 for limited endwise and orbital movement relative to the outer sleeve 28 by reason of the fact that the free end portions of the projections 29 extend below the depth of the rectangular slots 33 in the flanged end of the inner sleeve 30 as best shown in FIGURE 12.

In practice, a ground sheath connector of appropriate size is passed over a free end portion of a shielded insulated conductor which end portion has been stripped of its insulation covering and the braided shielding pushed back slightly on the remaining insulation covering to raise the same slightly from the insulation. The frayed end of the braided shielding may be suitably trimmed if necessary and the connector moved along the insulated conductor toward the trimmed end of the shielding and Cal 4 the free end of the inner sleeve intruded under the braided shielding between the outer periphery of the inner sleeve and, the inner periphery of the outer sleeve.

After the ground sheath connector has been so placed on the shielded conductor, a bare end portion of a solid wire ground conductor, not shown, is intruded between the respective sleeves through either of the arcuate cutouts provided therefor in the periphery of the flanged end of the inner sleeve, whereby the intruded end of the ground wire is secured with the intruded end of the braided shielding between the inner and outer sleeves when they are finally crimped in known manner as exemplified in the herein identified Ball patent.

While the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to several embodiments thereof, it is to be expressly understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the inventive concept underlying the same. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited except as is necessitated by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An electrical connector comprising a pair of conductive sleeves disposed in concentric, telescopic relation forming an axial bore and an annular recess therebetween one end of the inner sleeve being provided with an annular flange normal thereto and the corresponding end portion of the outer sleeve being expanded into a bulbous configuration having an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the flanged end of said inner sleeve, the bulbous end of said outer sleeve presenting an opening having a diameter less than the diameter of the flanged end of said inner sleeve whereby said sleeves are loosely connected in captive relative for relative endwise and orbital movement therebetween, the periphery of the flanged end of said inner sleeve being provided at diametrically opposite points thereon by an arcuate cut-out forming radial openings for inserting a ground conductor longitudinally between said sleeves from the connected end thereof.

2. An eletrical connector comprising a pair of conductive sleeves disposed in concentric, telescopic relation forming an axial bore and an annular recess therebetween, one end of the inner sleeve being provided with an annular flange normal thereto having a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the outer sleeve, said annular flange having its periphery interrupted at diametrically opposite points thereon by a pair of arcuate cutouts and at other diametrically opposite points thereon at right angles to said cut-outs by a pair of open slots, the corresponding end of the outer sleeve being provided with diametrically opposite T-head projections being seated in said slots whereby said sleeves are loosely connected in limited captive relation for relative endwise and orbital movement therebetween, said cut-outs in the flanged end of said inner sleeve forming radial openings for inserting a ground conductor longitudinally between said sleeves from the connected end threeof.

3. An electrical connector comprising a pair of conductive sleeves disposed in concentric, telescopic relation forming an axial bore and an annular recess there between, one end of the inner sleeve being provided with an annular flange normal thereto having a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the outer sleeve, said annular flange having its periphery interrupted at diametrically opposite points thereon by a pair of arcuate cut-outs and at other diametrically opposite points thereon normal to said cut-outs by a pair of shallow open slots, the corresponding end of the outer sleeve being provided with diametrically opposite extensions of its inner and outer periphery being seated in said open slots and bent over.

inwardly normal to the axial center of said outer sleeve whereby said sleeves are loosely connected in limited captive relation for relative endwise and orbital movement therebetween, said cut-outs in the flanged end of said inner sleeve forming radial openings for inserting a 5 6 ground conductor longitudinally between said sleeves from 3,185,500 5/ 1965 Luther 28525 6 X the connected end thereof. 3,315,024 4/1967 Ball.

References Cited LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 US. Cl XRl 3,094,364 6/1963 Lingg. 17478; 285256 

